Expecto Patronum
by OfPheonixandHolly
Summary: Because all Lily needed was a little convincing...


"…now the purpose of teaching you such a difficult charm, of course, is the need these days for witches and wizards such as yourselves to be able to defend themselves. The Patronus charm is most commonly used…"

Lily Evans sighed. She knew perfectly well that knowing how to produce a corporeal Patronus would be essential as an Auror, but she simply couldn't bring herself to focus in her typical state of rapt attention. It wasn't her fault her eyes kept wandering to that messy head of jet-black hair. Or to the toned forearms the said head was propped up on. Or to the wrinkled oxford, beneath which she knew lay a perfect chiseled chest- not too muscular, of course, but defined all the same. Just the way she liked it…

If anyone had been watching the studious Head Girl at that particular moment, they might have chuckled at the comical way her emerald eyes widened. Shaking herself out of her reverie, she attempted once again to listen to the lecture.

"…acts as a guardian, taking the form of an animal. The animal is unique to the caster of the spell, and, as I'm sure you know, is a reflection of certain qualities in the witch or wizard. Some say that the Patronus mirrors the soul, and while that may wax a tad too poetic for our purpose here today…"

Lily Evans was no fan girl of the disheveled man in front of her, she reminded herself. The only reason she knew what his chest looked like was because of an unexpected event that had occurred only a few mornings previously. There she had been, with unusually terrible bed head and a desperate wish for a nice long shower, walking across the Heads' common room to their shared bathroom, when out walked James Potter. Maybe such a short summary didn't do the event justice. A dripping wet James Potter. A dripping wet James Potter _with only a towel on. _

Quite unfazed by the presence of his long-time crush staring at his half-naked body, he had smirked apologetically and said…

Well, to be honest, Lily couldn't recall what he had said. Something about Quidditch practice running later than expected, she vaguely remembered… the reason behind her terrible memory was what really mattered. Because as he had stood there, waiting for the hurricane that was Lily Evans' wrath, she had stood there. _Stood there. _As in, mouth slightly open, eyes roving the fit specimen in front of her…

Again, the red head shook herself from what were bound to become rather indecent thoughts. The entire debacle had come to an abrupt end when James, noting her stunned silence and line of sight, had grinned widely. The reappearance of that infuriatingly cocky grin worked like a charm. Lily, her cheeks surpassing pink and darkening quickly into the unfortunate red that all red-haired people suffer from, had snapped out of her trance, looked straight into the mischievous hazel eyes, and darted back into her room. She might have let out a horrified squeak somewhere in there of course, but details didn't really matter.

What mattered were the thoughts that had plagued her from the moment she had closed her door. The thoughts that had been voiced in the seventh year Gryffindor girls' dorm room when her studied avoidance of James Potter had begun. Alice had giggled lightly, Mary had fallen to the floor laughing, and Emmeline had exchanged galleons reluctantly while Marlene sounded a small victory call. After hours of blushing confessions and the counseling of her four dearest friends, Lily Evans had comes to terms with the gravity of her situation. She liked James Potter.

And gazing blatantly at his rather attractive rear end, she couldn't help but smile. She, Lily Evans, liking James Potter? The thought would have seemed ridiculous to her only a week ago. But to any other occupant of Hogwarts, it was not any sort of revelation. It had been only a matter of time before she had caved to his devilishly good looks, charm, and talent. After all, he had changed since fifth year. They had even become friends, against all odds, at the end of last year. And then there was that _spark; _that indescribable tension anyone could feel when they were around the two Gryffindors.

"…now due to the immense skill this spell takes, I don't expect you to produce a Patronus in this class period. I will simply assign you your partner and by next Wednesday we will have a demonstration by each pair. You may find it easier to do when you aren't too stressed, so leave plenty of time and become comfortable around your partner. I will also expect a 15-inch essay next Thursday on the…"

Drat, Lily cursed. She'd barely paid attention, and she had not only the spell to perform, but a paper to write. James Potter was an awful distraction.

"Longbottom and Prewitt, Black and McKinnon…"

No, she pleaded silently. No, no, n-

"… and Potter and Evans. Class dismissed, everyone. Good luck!"

That Friday night, Lily curled up in front of the fireplace in the Heads' common room. She was exhausted. Exhausted from avoiding James for the past two days, that is. She was actually quite proud of herself, considering the fact that he had that ingenious map… and he was Marauder, for goodness' sake.

But just as she was about to drift off to sleep, the door opened with the arrival of James. Lily sat bolt upright, her exhaustion forgotten. At the moment she prepared to run into her room, she chanced a glance at his face. The sight made her freeze. He looked determined.

And that's what made her stand like a deer in headlights as he came to a stop right in front of her, knowing perfectly well that her plan of avoidance had never really worked. He was done letting her run away.

"Lily." Hearing her name on his lips made her shiver as delicious tingles ran up her spine. But then reality set in. She didn't _want_ to talk to him. As she prepared to let loose her usual insults in an attempt to escape the inevitable, he spoke again.

"Lily, cut it out. We both know you want it just as much as I do, and I'm not about to let you-"

"Want _what_, James?" Lily was terrified and mad. She didn't want to have this conversation, and he wasn't about to make her have it.

"Don't play dumb, Lily. I know as well as you do that you haven't stopped thinking about it since you realized it. You're _attracted _to me, aren't you? You _like _me! And you've realized, after over six years, that I've been right all along!"

"Don't be stupid, Potter-"

"Oh, back to the last names again, are we? Tell me we aren't right for each other, Evans! Look me in the eye and tell me that you don't think there's a chance we'd work together!" She stared stonily up into those hazel eyes, her heart fluttering madly. He grew agitated, ruffling his hair out of habit before trying again.

"Fine. If you won't listen to me, at least see for yourself. Cast the spell, Lily."

"No."

"What are you so scared of if you're sure we wouldn't work out? Cast the spell!"

"No!"

"Dammit, Lily, cast the spell!" The look in his eyes, her blood boiling at his obstinacy...

"Fine! _Expecto Patronum!"_

A silvery doe, produced from the fury she felt surging in her veins, burst forth from her wand. She felt James move beside her, heard him cast the same spell.

And suddenly there were two Patronuses. Her doe… and his stag. She watched, tears welling in her eyes, as the two guardians nuzzled each other. She turned to him, scared and frightened and intimidated by the event she knew was going to happen.

"You know why I'm scared, James? Because we're seventeen! We're in the middle of a war! There are people out there that want to kill me because of who I am! I'm scared because I'm in love with you and we're meant to be but that doesn't mean that everything will be a fairytale! We'll argue, and fight, and be in danger all the time, and-" She broke off as he stepped nearer to her, a sad sort of smile on his handsome face.

"But we don't really seem to have much of a voice in fate, do we?" he murmured. "And I know that it's scary. Heck, I'm terrified. But I'm willing to try it, if you are."

She gazed up into those eyes, full of love and honesty and truth, and in that moment, she realized there was nothing to be afraid of if she was with him. And with that, she pulled his lips down to hers.

As his lips moved feverishly against hers and his tongue begged for entrance, Lily Evans realized that the boy she had fallen for would be the man she would grow old with.


End file.
